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As the first organic and Fair Trade chocolate factory in the United States, Theo is committed to full transparency when it comes to our ingredients, ensuring that our chocolate is produced in an entirely ethical, sustainable way. At Theo, we believe consumers have the right to know what is in their food and have made a commitment to non-GMO certification of our products. That’s why we’re focused on supporting I-522, an initiative that will ensure that genetically engineered foods (GMOs) are labeled in the state of Washington. Last year, over 340,000 Washington citizens signed a petition to move the I-522 initiative forward to a vote this November. Theo is passionate about supporting I-522 with the hope that it will eventually lead to a national set of GMO labeling rules.

So what are GMOs? GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism. GMOs are experimental plants or animals that have been genetically engineered in a laboratory with DNA from other plants, animals, bacteria, and viruses. Genetically engineered plants are often modified to survive the use of chemical herbicides, or to cause the plants to produce pesticides. Approximately 94% of soy, 88% of field corn, and over 90% of canola seed and sugar beets planted in the United States are genetically engineered.

GMOs have not been proven safe, nor have their long-term health and environmental effects been adequately researched. Currently, with the exception of recently passed bills in Connecticut and Maine, the United States and Canada do not require labeling of GMO foods. 40 countries including Australia, Japan and all EU nations have banned or set significant restrictions on the production of GMOs as they are not considered proven safe. American companies already label genetically engineered food they export to 64 other countries. They should do the same here.

We encourage you to join us in our effort to ensure mandatory GMO labeling in Washington State. To learn more about the initiative and the impact of GMOs, visit Yes on I-522 and Will Vote for Food.